J.R.

We are only getting this second hand but the OP appears to eventually say that the repairs supposedly needed due to liquid spillage are not being claimed to be the cause of the charging problem: It's the usual story of having to request relevant information peacemeal whilst disregarding what has been written but irrelevant. We still don't know what repairs they are wanting to do in regard of the spillage because what was written after "repairs" was simply an observation that liquid was present, are any of these systems not functioning? As the garage it seems will not carry out the repairs without an authorisation of payment then the OP has no problems in this regard unless they have yet to reveal that these systems are not working. Given that its a lease car they might be charged at the end of the lease, if everything (v battery charging aside) is working then they should simply clean off the residue instead of challenging how it got there. In their shoes I would be reading the lease T&C's.

Let us know how you get on, don't be surprised if the vibration worsens, after all the outer ring is there to damp vibrations. That said I would not want the thing flailing around and clattering as it is.

Now you tell us! Don't you think that might have been relevant information to have given at the beginning? If that were the case then there would not be a bleed procedure.

Sounds plausible. Sensible plan of action, one step at a time is always best.

It never did show those fluctuations, yes I agree it should climb but VAG temperature guages have not told the truth for 25 years now.

Until the recent new and enhanced user experience the forum would indeed have displayed your engine details, location etc beside your username. Now we have to go searching for it which is very frustrating as you often find people have not given the info. So for now its better to include the info in the posting, better than the title as that is not visible when reading the posting, hopefully the previous functionality will be restored. If you have VCDS you can view the actual unfudged temperature sender readings (assuming the sensor is not malfunctioning) otherwise look at the oil temperature readings using the Maxidot display and see if they rise when under load.

To anyone else reading this, has anyone successfully replaced one of these couplings by dropping the centre prop bearing and persuading the old and new couplings into/out of place with leverage without moving the engine and transmission forwards? It's that which has made me put off the job for so long.

The outer ring plays no part in the transmission of drive it is simply a harmonic damper, I fully intend removing mine with a disc cutter when it gets as bad as yours, in fact I might do it pre-emptively before the next contrôle technique as I'm getting fed up with showing the testers the new unfitted one to prove that what they think are splits in the coupling are moulded in from new. Without the ring it will be the same as the Rotoflex couplings on my Lotus Elan, well a lot better actually because they have been made of cheese for the last couple of decades. Also there is an inner steel ring that totally encloses the Guibo drive coupling. I just looked for a part number on my coupling on the shelf, its a pattern part but the number if its of any use is G2N21PC0810-07420923A-0847 Google shows my part to be this which has the 1K0 part number referenced and says its will fit MK2 Octavia 4x4 and my Yeti, I'll be pi55ed if it doesn't.

Without information regarding your engine and fuel type etc nobody will be able to help you. What prior warning would you have expected of a rise in coolant temperature? The VAG system fudges the temperature gauge reading to show 90°c over a wide range of actual engine temperatures, for example 70°c to 110°c, when the actual temperature rises or falls outside of these limits the gauge will swing to the real unfudged reading.

Good to know, I suspect its not the end of it though, the bush is probably split or weakened, rubber to metal bonded bush should be silent even when over-rotated, they were after all trademarked Silentbloc (where both my parents worked), its only when the isolated suspension components can make metal to metal contact that you get noise. Before anyone says anything that is not the case with non bonded anti-roll bar bushes where there is movement and hence wear between the rubber bush and the metal clamps and roll bar.

Who authorised the work to be done?

Too many variables most of which you sound like you will decide on the fly, I will give you the route I would take from Saint Quentin via Limoges on to Bergerac or Bordeaux. My apartment hôtel is not far from Saint Quentin and I used to get a lot of customers using it for a stop over. A29 East from St Quentin to A1 Junction 13 A1 South to A86 Paris outer ring road, follow signs to Bordeaux, do not allow your shatnav to direct you onto the inner périphérique. Pass Aéroports Le Bourget and Orly then take A10 South still following directions to Bordeaux. At A10 J14 Orleans you have the choice of continuing West on the A10 which will take you to Bordeaux via Tours and Poitiers or to take the A71 to Vierzon then the A20 to Limoges for Oradour sur Glane. From Limoges to Bergerac or Bordeaux shortest route is across country on the A21 but its a killer at the end of a long journey quickest (longer) route if you are tired is to continue on the A20 to Brive la Gaillard & then Eastbound on the A89 via Périgueux to Bergerac (where I live) or Bordeaux.

I did about 300 miles before I noticed, the last 190 were a high speed motorway then autoroute dash heavily loaded where I first noticed a whine on the over-run, yours is much worse but you have done more miles. I caught mine just in time, I flushed through twice with oil/paraffin mix driving a few miles each time, the oil coming out was carbonised, it has had a whine ever since but I have a really sympathetic mechanical ear and also drive without rear seats or parcel shelf, I've done 50K miles since and only one other person, a co mechanic from my teenage years has noticed and remarked on it. Yours sounds terminal TBH. It will be interesting to hear their excuses to add to the book.

Welcome. Re the thread title, you never get a second chance to make a first impression!

Are you doing the drive in one hit or do you intend stopping over? In which case just to break the journey or do you want to stop somewhere worth visiting? Where do you débarque in France, Calais, Coquelles, Dunkerque, Dieppe? If its a direct route to Bordeaux or Bergerac do you want to avoid or minimise the péage sections of autoroutes or want the quickest simplest journey regardless of cost? The quickest is usually the longer autoroute journey with the most péage fees and fuel cost, the cheapest is very long with lots of speed cameras that could wipe out any saving.

Then please confirm what "repairs" they have done that they want you to pay for. Do you own the vehicle or is it contract hire/lease/PCP or whatever they call it?

The OP has not actually said that the noise is no longer present when driving, only that he thinks he may have solved it, perhaps he can confirm.

That needs to be done driving on the crown of the road straddling the centre line or the road camber will have an affect. Obviously this should only be done when road conditions and a lack of other traffic allow it to be done legally and safely.

They drained the diff oil by mistake and then topped up the Haldex with a lot less fluid than it should have taken, that should have alerted them to their mistake. You are running around with a dry differential, take it somewhere else for inspection do not take it back to them as they will trot out all the reasons why you will have to pay the £4k or so they or anyone else will want to replace the damaged diff. Do not continue driving the car as you risk it grinding to a halt as has happened to many others who conferred their vehicle to a garage for Haldex servicing.

Not spilt is different to "not aware of spilling" which was an interesting choice of words. What repairs do they claim to have done to allegedly rectify the non charging and are they plausible? The liquid might be a smokescreen in which case it has worked for them thus far, for example you are getting bogged down into a non issue, whether said liquid is consumable, if what they are claiming to have repaired/replaced was due to contamination by said liquid it's not up to them to forensically prove what it is and how it got there.

On what grounds?

I tried watching the video but could not stomach the guys voice and manner, the one doing the narration (hijacking someone elses content) was OK. I take my hat off to those of you who can sit through 11 minutes of the hyperactivity.

If the bonnet was left open to take the reading the next day then the systems will not have shut down and will have drained the battery. If you unlocked the car and opened the bonnet to take the reading then the voltage drop would have been at a maximum. You need to close the bonnet lock manually with a screwdriver or similar then lock the vehicle, this will make the bonnet closed microswitch change state allowing the timed shutdown.

Drain gearbox oil when hot after spirited drive. Drain with car level not jacked up.